Korg Pitchblack XS Bass

The Korg Pitchblack XS Bass is a chromatic pedal tuner made by Korg, and Korg calls it the first bass-dedicated pedal tuner in the Pitchblack line¹. Its job is simple: sit at the start or end of your bass pedalboard, mute or pass your signal, and show your pitch clearly enough to tune quickly between songs. What sets it apart from a general-purpose tuner pedal is how low it hears: its detection range starts at C0 (16.35Hz), which Korg notes covers over an octave below the bass guitar's low E string².

The design follows the Pitchblack XS family: the footswitch is integrated into the display itself, which lets the pedal stay compact (70 (W) × 80 (D) × 47 (H) mm including projections, 198 g) while keeping the display as large as possible²³. Korg describes the enclosure as a robust powder-coated housing whose switch responds no matter how you step on it or which direction the pedal is placed¹.

What it does: a pedal tuner built for bass

As a chromatic tuner, it reads any note you play rather than a fixed set, and because its range reaches down to C0 (16.35Hz), it tracks fundamentals that sit below where a standard guitar tuner starts. Korg's product page points out that this covers over an octave below the bass guitar's low E string, which matters for players who tune down or use extended-range instruments². At the top end it reaches C8 (4,186Hz), so it also works for checking harmonics².

The input impedance is 10MΩ, which Korg specifies for the pedal's input². For comparison, the standard Pitchblack XS lists 1MΩ with the tuner on³.

Display modes: regular, strobe, half strobe and mirror

The pedal offers four meter display modes, which Korg says are selectable according to the player's style¹:

In strobe mode, Korg states that ultra-precise tuning of ±0.1 cents is possible¹. Strobe and Half Strobe modes indicate changes in pitch by the direction and speed that the meter is flowing in, which is the behavior strobe-style displays are known for: the faster the motion, the further off you are, and the motion stops when you are in tune⁴.

Power and connections

The Pitchblack XS Bass runs on a 9V AC adapter (Korg's KA181), which is sold separately; there is no battery option². Current draw is 40mA maximum². Connections are minimal and standard: an INPUT and a BYPASS, both 6.3 mm monaural standard jacks, plus the DC 9V IN terminal for power².

Bypass: true bypass or ULTRA BUFFER

The pedal can switch between true bypass and Korg's ULTRA BUFFER¹. On the standard Pitchblack XS, Korg describes the choice as one you make "according to your tastes and environment"⁵, and the same switching applies here. The difference for bass players is that the XS Bass's ULTRA BUFFER is, in Korg's words, "fine tuned with the bass player's needs in mind to deliver a fuller, more powerful sound"¹.

For players running long cables or a large board, the buffer keeps the signal strong through the chain; for players who want the signal untouched, true bypass passes the sound exactly as it was input. Korg's page for the standard Pitchblack XS notes the buffer was developed to enhance sound quality in bypass mode over long cables⁴. If you are weighing where a buffer belongs in your chain, see buffer pedals.

Pitchblack XS vs Pitchblack XS Bass

The two pedals share the same family design: integrated display and footswitch, four display modes, ±0.1 cent strobe accuracy, 9V power at up to 40mA, and the switchable true bypass / ULTRA BUFFER signal path³⁴. The differences Korg states are these:

The lower floor is the practical difference: the XS Bass reads a full octave-plus lower than the standard model, so it covers drop tunings and extended-range basses the XS was not aimed at. Korg also lists the wider Pitchblack X series, including the Pitchblack X, Pitchblack X mini, and Pitchblack X Pro, as related products⁵. For more on the category generally, see tuner pedals.

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